Lord Chelwoodasked Her Majesty's Government:
What percentage of the electorate and of those who voted in the last election for the City of Liverpool Council cast their votes for Labour candidates; and on what grounds they continue to be satisfied with an electoral system that gives such power to an unrepresentative minority.
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Glenarthur)Information of this kind is not collected by central government. However, we understand that Labour Party candidates attracted the 817WA support of 23 per cent. of the electorate, or 46.2 per cent. of those who voted, at the last elections to Liverpool City Council in 1984.
Since proportional representation is more likely to provide small unrepresentative minorities with seats on local authorities and to create coalitions where such groups can hold disproportionate power, the Government propose to retain the simple majority system of voting for local elections. The electorate of Liverpool will have a fresh opportunity to express these views at next year's elections for one-third of the city council.